Home Improvement Tips for Fairfax & Northern VA

In addition to staying on top of the latest products and technology to provide our customers with the best solutions to address their individual needs, we believe in educating our customers so they can not only make an informed decision, but maintain their home and avoid costly repairs down the road. Here you’ll find a number home improvement tips and home maintenance ideas to help you avoid costly home repairs to your Fairfax home.

Rain leads to leaks and damage

Your roof might not look damaged but it might have hidden wear and tear. With Spring just around the corner, torrential rains and winds are likely to take advantge of the wear and tear and cause leaks and interior damages.

Ice dams can ruin your roof

Ice damming occurs when snow on a roof melts from the house’s heat, then drains to the eves and refreezes. At the eves, of course, there is no heat — just cold air. So the water turns to ice on the bottom shingles. As more water comes down from above, the “ice dam” grows and creates a small lake above it. As the lake gets bigger, the water starts inching back up the roof. That is bad news because shingles are not designed to repel water rising up the roof, they’re designed to repel water going down the roof. As the water inches up, it goes under the shingles, ultimately dripping down onto the ceiling and interior walls. Too much of that, and you have a mess.

Carol Maimone Roof Restoration

On September 28, 2012, a large tree limb fell onto the roof of my home. Fortunately, the limb remained on the roof but the impact was so great that six trusses were broken and caused the collapse of one ceiling and impacted many ceilings on the top floor of my home. Needless to say, it… Read More

Fall Roof Maintenance Tips

Winters in Fairfax and other parts of Northern Virginia can be harsh, with temperatures often dipping into the teens. The wintertime can be especially rough on your roof, the single most important part of your Northern Virginia home. Heavy snowfall can really give your roof a beating. This is… Read More

Bad Gutters and Roofing Contractors

What’s the relationship between bad gutters and your roof? If your gutters are clogged, hanging or disconnected from their downspouts, it means bad news for your roof – and home. It should also be a signal that it’s time for you to schedule a roof inspection with R.M. Banning Roofing – a leading Fairfax roofing contractor… Read More

Having a Hurricane Proof Roof: What to Know

Hurricane season is upon us. Although we don’t get a lot of hurricanes here in Northern Virginia, we get our fair share of severe storms. High winds and heavy rain can really wreak havoc on your roof if it isn’t protected! While we in Northern Virginia typically don’t get the brunt of many major storms,… Read More

How to Choose a Roofing Contractor

Your home is your most important investment, and your roof is one of the most important parts of your home. Do you want to entrust it with a roofing company that doesn’t know what they are doing? One of the hardest parts of any home improvement or maintenance project is simply choosing a Fairfax roofing contractor you… Read More

Basics of Roof Ventilation

No matter what type of roofing material you use, one of the most important parts of roof installation is making sure you have proper roof ventilation. New roofs can add value to your home and improve the efficiency of your HVAC system, but unventilated roofs create stifling attics and can do the opposite of what… Read More

We’re on Top of Your Most Important Investment

There’s no job too complex for us to handle and no job too small for us to take on. Whether you are looking for roof replacement, siding or window installation, or general contracting services in Fairfax andthe Northern Virginia region, R.M. Banning can help. R.M. Banning considers repeat business our highest compliment, so we’re honored that… Read More

Ice Dam Prevention with Certainteed Winterguard

The storms are coming, the snow is on its way, the ice will stick. Be proactive by installing Certainteed’s “Winterguard” underlayment for superior ice dam prevention. “Winterguard” is an ice barrier membrane underlayment installed above the eaves that gives total protection against the damages ice dams can cause to your home... Read More

Can I repair or replace my roof myself?

Most roofing work should not be a do-it-yourself project. Professional roofing contractors are trained to safely and efficiently repair or replace a roof. Do-it-yourself people can harm a roof with improper roofing techniques and harm themselves by falling through the roof or even falling off the roof. Call a professional roofing contractor.

Commercial Roof Sealant

There are all many types of elastameric coatings and asphalt sealants used on commercials roofs. Elastameric coating is used to provide longevity to an aging roof system. Much more affordable than new roof systems. Asphalt sealants are used for temporary and sometimes permanent roof repairs.

What is an ice dam and how do they occur?

Ice damming occurs when snow on a roof melts from the house’s heat, then drains to the eves and refreezes. At the eves, of course, there is no heat — just cold air. So the water turns to ice on the bottom shingles.

The Importance of Regular Gutter Maintenance

An ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure

Gutters that are not properly cleaned and maintained can lead to flooding and other structural damage to your home. If you live in a heavily wooded area or where deciduous trees hover over the roof of your home, you more than likely will have leaves and tree trash fall into the gutters or on top of the gutter mesh. Your gutters should be checked at least once a year and after the leaves have fallen is the best time. Entering into the winter season with clogged gutters is a risk factor ice dams. Ice dams from winter storm can lead to structural damage during the coldest part of the year.

Federal Tax Credit Expires Soon!

This is the last opportunity to take advantage of the Federal Tax Credit. In 2015, you can recieve a tax credit up to %30 of cost on solar energy systems. Increase your home’s energy efficiency, lower your taxes and utility bills and reduce your impact on the environment before it is too late. According to the ENERGY STAR® program, installing adequate insulation or adding a solar reflective roof can save you money on utility bills.